Fitting the Pieces Together

How has your view on how you learn changed?
My view on how I learn has not changed, but has been enhanced as well as provided some understanding of how and why I do the things that I do while I am learning. My understanding of how I learn has improved because I am able to apply my best learning styles to ensure that I am encoding and retrieving the information to optimize my learning. For instance, as I am learning online I am trying to use the adult learning theories to better understand and apply the information to my experience in addition to my professional goals as an educator. Therefore by using the learning styles that align with me have allowed me to understanding why I learn the way I do. Also I have discovered that I plan and conduct instruction according to how I learn. Interesting! This article really explains how I teachers teach the way they learn: http://www.calpro-online.org/eric/textonly/docgen.asp?tbl=mr&ID=117 .
What have you learned about the various learning theories and learning styles over the past weeks that can further explain your own personal learning preferences?
Learning theories and learning styles were not addressed in depth while I was getting my bachelors degree in science in mathematics with an emphasis of secondary education. That being said these past weeks has really helped me understanding the learning process, theories and styles that are essential in instruction and instructional design. As I have explored through the numerous learning resources I have discovered that my personal learning preferences have translated into my instructional design as an educator of mathematics. In addition the learning styles (visual, auditor, and kinesthetic) and how the learning process is conducted has helped my integrate at least two of the styles into an instruction because in order for learning to be maximized and make retrieval much easier the information needs to me encoded in at least two ways. Therefore what I have learned about the various learning theories and learning styles is how to ensure learning in any situation of informal and formal learning.
What role does technology play in your learning (i.e. as a way to search for information, to record information, to create, etc.)?
Technology has played a significant role within my learning over the past three years and has increased dramatically in the process of getting my masters. Technology has allowed me to explore through large amounts of information on concepts being learned in order for me to optimize my learning as an adult learner.

Mind Map Reflection

The network of technology has changed the way I learn with respect to a traditional classroom verse a online classroom. First, networking allows me to ensure understanding with new concepts because I am able to use technology as a resource and or learning resources to enhance understanding. Also networking ensures application or connections to the learning objective with professional and personal applications.
Digital tools facilitate learning in multiple ways for me as an adult learner. First and foremost the online videos and graphic organizers allow me as an adult learner to be more hap tic and visual with my learning. Therefore the digital tools really address my learning style to enhance the encoding process with learning new concepts and skills.
Support of the central trends of connectivism is the diversity in learning and knowledge. The knowledge that I am learning within the network and online resources allows me to maximize my learning abilities with concepts being learned. In addition the are diverse resources to ensure learning with applying the learned concepts to professional and personal duties. Lastly, the resources are current. Therefore making the connection to today's every so changing world relevant.

My Mind Map

(m)^3 = My*Mind*Map
Developing my mind map will demonstrate some influence on the way my learning is conducted.

Information Processing Approach

This article touches on numerous aspects of the learning process approach to cognition. I found this article to be very useful because of the large amounts of visual diagrams and examples of how an educator can use the information processing approach in the classroom. Therefore allowing use as instructional designers and/or educators understand how we can make the learning process much more efficient and effective.

http://www.psychology4all.com/FiveMemoryTechniques.htm

How to improve our memory

THis article discusses how we complain about our memory being poor. In addition the article discuss how we can improve our memory by encoding information in various ways such as chunking. These ways were also discussed briefly in our course reading. However there is some specific examples to enhance the understanding of that teachnique/

http://www.psychology4all.com/FiveMemoryTechniques.htm